1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for controlling devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a prior art technique, for example, in a state that a computer is connected to a scanner and a printer, a specific applications program is run on the computer to read image data with the scanner and print the input image data with the printer, so as to enable functions like a copying machine.
With regard to the combination of predetermined devices (the scanner and the printer in the above example), the prior art technique enables one device to receive and process the data transmitted from the other device under the specific applications program. With regard to the combination of arbitrary devices, on the other hand, there is no guarantee that one device can receive and process the data transmitted from the other device. In some cases, effective data transfer is accordingly not allowable between these arbitrary devices.
The prior art technique causes different user interfaces for the respective devices to be displayed separately in the process of performing the data transfer between these devices. This configuration forces the user to separately specify instructions on the different user interfaces, thereby undesirably worsening the operatability.
In one exemplified configuration, it is assumed that a certain device is connected to one computer and another device is connected to another computer, among a plurality of computers connecting with one another via a network. In this configuration, the prior art technique makes it rather difficult to transfer data between the certain device and the another device according to an applications program, which is activated by still another computer, since these computers are connected to one another via the network.
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a device control system that enables effective data transfer between arbitrary devices and provides a user with optimized operatability with respect to any combination of devices.
At least part of the above and the other related objects is attained by a device control apparatus that enables control of a source device, which is a transmitter of data, and a destination device, which is a receiver of data. The device control apparatus includes: a device specification unit that specifies a source device and a destination device; and a decision unit that determines whether or not the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, based on attribute information of the specified source device and the specified destination device.
The present invention is also directed to a device control system including a source device, which is a transmitter of data, a destination device, which is a receiver of data, and a device control apparatus that enables control of the source device and the destination device. The device control apparatus includes: a device specification unit that specifies a source device and a destination device; and a decision unit that determines whether or not the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, based on attribute information of the specified source device and the specified destination device.
The present invention is further directed to a method of determining a combination of a source device, which is a transmitter of data, with a destination device, which is a receiver of data. The method includes the steps of: (a) specifying a source device and a destination device; and (b) determining whether or not the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, based on attribute information of the specified source device and the specified destination device.
As described above, in the device control apparatus, the device control system, and the method of determining a combination of devices according to the present invention, the process first specifies the source device and the destination device and subsequently determines whether or not the specified destination device can receive and process the data transmitted from the specified source device, based on the attribute information of the specified source device and the specified destination device.
In the specification hereof, the devices include not only physical devices but part of the functions of the physical devices, those having the equivalent functions to the physical devices by the software, and those handled equivalently to the physical devices. The physical devices include a scanner, a printer, a digital camera, a facsimile, a copying machine, and a variety of other computer peripheral equipment. The part of the functions of the physical devices include, for example, an external presentation of only the facsimile function of a multi-functional color copying machine. Those having the equivalent functions to the physical devices and those handled equivalently to the physical devices include, for example, electronic mail, image processing, a processing server, and an applications server. The applications server means that, for example, when an applications program automatically retrieves an image file included in a cache directory of Web browser, the applications program itself functions as a stationary image input device, such as a digital camera. In this case, the device does not have any physical entity.
In this specification, a device that enables at least transmission of data is defined as the source device, and a device that enables at least receipt of data is defined as the destination device. If a device for the intermediate processing enables at least transmission of data, the device can be regarded as the source device. If the device for the intermediate processing enables at least receipt of data, the same device can be regarded as the destination device. Namely any of such devices can be regarded as either the source device or the destination device.
In the description hereof, the specification of the source device and the destination device may be implemented by first specifying a certain group including a plurality of devices as possible candidates of at least either of the source device and the destination device and subsequently specifying at least either of a source device and a destination device in the certain group. Another possible procedure sequentially specifies at least either of source devices and destination devices in a certain group including a plurality of devices as possible candidates.
The device specification unit may specify the source device and the destination device according to an instruction given by a user or another apparatus, or automatically specify the source device and the destination device by a preset method.
The technique of the present invention carries out the determination for the combination of arbitrary devices and, in response to the affirmative result of the determination, guarantees that the destination device can receive and process the data transmitted from the source device. This accordingly ensures the effective data transfer between these arbitrary devices.
In accordance with one preferable application of the present invention, the device control apparatus further includes a user interface specification unit that, when the decision unit determines that the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, specifies a user interface for operating a composite device, which has both at least part of functions of the specified source device and at least part of functions of the specified destination device, as a user interface for operating both the specified source device and the specified destination device; and a display control unit that causes the user interface specified by the user interface specification unit to be displayed on a display unit.
In a similar manner, in accordance with one preferable application of the present invention, the method further includes the steps of: (c) when it is determined in the step (b) that the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, specifying a user interface for operating a composite device, which has both at least part of functions of the specified source device and at least part of functions of the specified destination device, as a user interface for operating both the specified source device and the specified destination device; and (d) causing the user interface specified in the step (c) to be displayed.
In this specification, the term xe2x80x98operating the devicexe2x80x99 implies not only operations of the device in a narrow sense but settings, controls, and other processes of the device.
In the arrangement discussed above, for example, in the case of data transfer from the source device to the destination device, a user interface for operating a composite device having both at least parts of the respective functions of the source device and the destination device is displayed as the user interface for operating both the source device and the destination device. This arrangement does not require the user to manipulate different user interfaces for the source device and the destination device, but enables the user to specify settings simultaneously in a united user interface. This accordingly provides the user with the optimized operatability with respect to any combination of devices. The user can regard the separate devices (that is, the source device and the destination device) as one composite device and integrally operates these separate devices. This point also provides the user with the optimized operatability.
In accordance with another preferable application of the present invention, the device control apparatus further includes a data transfer execution unit that, when the decision unit determines that the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, controls the specified source device and the specified destination device, in order to enable data to be transferred from the specified source device to the specified destination device via the device control apparatus.
In a similar manner, in accordance with another preferable application of the present invention, the method further includes the step of: (c) when it is determined in the step (b) that the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, controlling the specified source device and the specified destination device, in order to enable data to be transferred from the specified source device to the specified destination device via a device control apparatus that enables control of the source device and the destination device.
This arrangement enables the effective data transfer to be actually performed from the specified source device to the specified destination device.
In accordance with still another preferable application of the present invention, the device control apparatus further includes a data transfer execution unit that, when the decision unit determines that the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, controls the specified source device and the specified destination device, in order to enable data to be transferred from the specified source device to the specified destination device not via the device control apparatus.
In a similar manner, in accordance with still another preferable application of the present invention, the method further includes the step of: (c) when it is determined in the step (b) that the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, controlling the specified source device and the specified destination device, in order to enable data to be transferred from the specified source device to the specified destination device not via a device control apparatus that enables control of the source device and the destination device.
The transmission of data from the specified source device to the specified destination device not via the device control apparatus attains the higher-speed data transfer.
In accordance with another preferable application of the device control apparatus, the device specification unit specifies the source device and the destination device, when a predetermined operation is performed with respect to both a symbol corresponding to the source device and a symbol corresponding to the destination device while both the symbols are displayed on a display unit.
In a similar manner, in accordance with another preferable application of the method, the step (a) includes the steps of: (a-1) causing a symbol corresponding to the source device and a symbol corresponding to the destination device to be displayed; and (a-2) when a predetermined operation is performed with respect to both the symbols, specifying the source device and the destination device.
The predetermined operation performed with respect to both the symbols shows that the user desires to specify the devices corresponding to these symbols. The source device and the destination device are accordingly specified in response to the user""s requirement. The predetermined operation of the symbols may lay one symbol upon the other or select both the symbols and give a specific command.
The present invention is also directed to a computer program product for determining a combination of a source device, which is a transmitter of data, with a destination device, which is a receiver of data. The computer program product includes: a computer readable recording medium; a first program code that causes a computer to specify a source device and a destination device; and a second program code that causes the computer to determine whether or not the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, based on attribute information of the specified source device and the specified destination device, wherein the respective program codes are recorded in the computer readable recording medium.
The present invention is further directed to a data signal that is embodied in a carrier and represents a computer program for determining a combination of a source device, which is a transmitter of data, with a destination device, which is a receiver of data. The data signal includes: a first program code that causes a computer to specify a source device and a destination device; and a second program code that causes the computer to determine whether or not the specified destination device can receive and process data transmitted from the specified source device, based on attribute information of the specified source device and the specified destination device.
The computer executes the computer program to generate the device specification unit and the decision unit included in the device control apparatus, thereby exerting the same effects as those of the device control apparatus discussed above.
The principle of the present invention can be realized by a variety of applications, for example, a device control apparatus, a device control system, a method of determining a combination of devices, a computer program for constructing the device control system, a recording medium in which the computer program is recorded, and a data signal that includes the computer program and is embodied in a carrier.